Electric plug



Dec. l2, 1939.

' v. GARDNER A ELECTRIC PLUG Filed July 22, 1938 Patented Dec. i2, 1939ici:

ELEC'ERHC PLUG City, Utah Application July 22, 1938, Serial No. 220,750

ll Claim.

This invention relates to electric plugs and has for an object toprovide a plug having novel prongs which will eliminate a common sourceof trouble, that is poor electrical connection with d the contacts inthe prong receiving pockets of conventional electric sockets.

A further object of the invention is to provide a plug having the prongsprovided with stamped out longitudinal V-shaped sections spaced rearlilwardly from the tip of the prong and adapted to be easily inserted inthe socket and when in applied position being adapted to tightlyfrictionally engage the contacts of the socket and provide goodelectrical connection and at the same w time prevent accidentaldetachment of the plug from the socket.

A further object is to provide an' electric plug which will be formed ofa few strong simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive tomanu- 2o facture and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention conisists ofcertain novel details of construction and combinations of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, it being underg stood thatvarious modifications may be resorted to Within the scope of theappended claim without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any ofthe advantages of the invention.

4In the accompanying drawing forming part of 30 this specification, K

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an electric plugconstructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the plug 35 shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the prongs.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of referencedesignate similar parts 40 in the various views, I0 designates the plugbody having a central bore or passage II which opens out through theilatbottom wall I2 of the body and is adapted to receive the electric cableI3.

vThe prongs I4 are formed integral with respec- 45 tive arcuate platesI5, disposed in a plane at a right angle to the prong, as in standardconstrue-- tion and said plates are held to the plug body by screws I6,to which are attached the circuit wires provided with a pair oflongitudinal slits and the material bounded by the slits is struck outto provide a pair of substantially V-shaped outer sections I8 and asingle intermediate V-shaped section I9. 'I'he apices of the outerV-shaped t3 sections I8 are turned oppositely to the apenr -of theintermediate V-shaped section I3, so that the tongue will engage thereciprocal contact of any conventional electric socket at three pointslocated on opposite sides of the longitudinal median line of the prong.The prong is preferably formed of resilient metal so that the offsetsections I8 and I9 will tend to be deformed when the tongue is insertedin the reciprocal contact of the ping andA thus be wedged into tightfrictional engagement with the reciprocal contact to prevent accidentaldislodgement and to provide good electrical contact.

By again referring to Figure 3 it will be seen that by virtue of theoffset longitudinal sections 2o I8 and I9 being spaced rearwardly fromthe free end of the tongue, a flat straight tip 2li will be produced, inalignment with the base portion of the prong to permit the prong to beeasily inserted in the prong receiving pocket in which is mounted thereciprocal contact of a conventional electric socket. A

From the above description it is thought that the construction andoperation of the invention will be fully understood Without furtherexplanation.

What is claimed is:

An electric plug prong having an arcuate attaching base extending` in aplane at a right angle to the prong, the prong being provided with apair of longitudinal slits and the material bounded by the slits beingstruck out to provide a pair of V-shaped outer Asectionsand a singleintermediate V-shaped section with the apices of the outer sectionsturned opposite to the apex of the intermediate section, said V-shapedsections being spaced from the free end of the prong to provide a tip inan alignment with the prong, said V-shaped sections being adapted toengage the contact of a conventional electric socket at V"t5 threepoints located on opposite sides of the longitudinal medianv line of theprong, the tip of the prong permitting the prong to be easily insertedin the socket contact.-

VERN GARDNER.

